| Dayton's
Bluff District
Forum November
2006
Volume 19, No. 9 |
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New Sculptures Appear in Mounds Park
By Steve Trimble So should people now say that Mounds Park Rocks!? Two large sculptures have recently found a new home in the Dayton’s Bluff area, just off Mounds Boulevard, one near McLean and the other just west of Earl Street. They were created during a major art event that was held in St. Paul over last summer called Minnesota Rocks! by its sponsor, Public Art St. Paul. The specific event was a gathering that took place from mid-May through June of 2006. Fourteen master stone sculptors from Minnesota and around the world—Asia, Africa, Europe and elsewhere— gathered on the front lawn of Saint Paul College to create artworks from the best stone our state has to offer. They shared their creative perspectives and cultural traditions and the resulting artworks are being permanently installed in public places.
Two of them have ended up in our neighborhood. The first time most residents were aware that something might have been happening was when a square concrete slab was poured in the park across from the Mclean intersection. Then, one recent afternoon, a twenty ton crane lumbered down Mounds Boulevard for the installation of one of the works of art. A Forum reporter happened by to see what was going on. The workers said that the sculptor of this one had already returned to Mexico, but that the creator of another was up the road near the pavilion. And, it turns out, there was a small gathering just west of Earl Street. The artist, Duane “Dewey” Goodwin, and some of his friends were commemorating the placement of “The Sacred Dish,” It is a large representation of a Native American woman made of dolomitic limestone from the Biesanz Quarry. It is placed on a site chosen by the artist. It was originally slated to be in another part of the park, but when Goodwin saw the Indian mounds, he felt that the sculpture should be on the knoll across the boulevard. Goodwin, who lives in Bemidji, is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe.. He has been involved in art since 1972 and is best known for his figures of people, animals and birds. At the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe he was mentored by Alan Hauser, an internationally known Apache stone carver. He also studied at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, which, he said, brought a contemporary perspective to his work. He is on the faculty of the Leech Lake Tribal College and has worked extensively in communities throughout rural Northern Minnesota to cultivate appreciation for art. Dewey had a dream just before he was finishing his work. In it he saw a tear coming from the statue. He decided to imbed a pipestone tear below the woman’s face. It represents the sorrow that has been experienced by Native American and other women. Other pieces of pipestone are on the back of the head of the sculpture. He works from the belief that the stone contains an inner spirit and that his job is to bring it out. As he put it: “As I carve, I seek to glean not only the hidden spirit of the stone itself, but also the essence and wisdom of Native America. I chisel spirits from stone, evoking animals, birds and faces that emerge to speak of the harmony and dependence we share.” Goodwin appreciated the chance to work with artists from throughout the world who shared their various perspectives and values. It was an experience that he was eager to share with his community. “Placed along streets, bridges and city parks,” Goodwin said, “the sculptures will communicate to the observer the same need for reverence and respect that our Elders wisely granted to us.” The ceremony performed by Dewey and his family and friends included smoking of pipes, singing and the burning of sage. The artist hopes that people in this community will feel free to burn sage in the dish held by the sculpted figure. He asks only that it is placed in some kind of container so that the limestone itself will not be stained. A little research was needed to uncover information on “The Wave,” the piece that was lowered into place by the huge crane near McLean. It was created by Javier del Cueto from Mexico. He is well known for his work in both ceramic and stone and teaches sculpture at a prestigious institution in Mexico City, He studied in Spain and took sculpture courses with ceramic and stoneware masters in Mexico. He started his work in stone sculpture in 1988 with a famed Japanese sculptor and later participated in an exhibition at a noted Museum in Fukushima, Japan, in 2005 When Javier came to the symposium he did not know a lot about St. Paul. But upon being driven around, he became enamored by the Mississippi River. It became the inspiration for his work. The sculpture is made up of two pieces of limestone from the Vetter Quarry. The main sculpture is attached to the base with four steel rods. He looked forward to the Saint Paul International Stone Carving Symposium as “a place for me to work with other people who believe in stone as a living material” and appreciated “the experience of exchanging points of view, sharing ideas and working with other sculptors as a very enriching one.” Javier explained that “Mexico is a country with a strong tradition in stone carving from Pre-Hispanic and Colonial times to the present. In spite of this, young artists nowadays have practically abandoned this practice.” One of his goals is to carry on and help add to the appreciation of this art form in his homeland. “I feel strongly permeated by this ancient Mexican tradition,” he says, “ and I am very interested in revitalizing stone carving for contemporary sculpture. I consider stone an ideal material for sculpture with unlimited possibilities and great potential, and it lasts forever.” Editor’s note: If you are interested in finding out more about the artists and accomplishments of Public Art St. Paul in general or specifically about the recent international stone carving symposium, visit www.minnesotarocks.org. Dayton's Bluff Community Council Election Results The results of the October 16 Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council election are as follows:At Large Wally Waranka (returning board member) Sub District A Beatrice Collins Sub District B Jean Comstock (returning board member) Erin Stojan (returning board member) Sub District C David Skelton Paul Godfread (returning board member) Sub-District D John Barbie Jacob Dorer (returning board member) The newly elected members will join present board members: Scott VanCleave, Roy Carlson, Erica Schneekloth, Sharon McCrea, Carla Riehle, Jen King, Brian Miller, and Stephanie Harr. Holiday Boutique and Bake Sale at Marian Center Mark your calendars! HealthEast Care Center – Marian of Saint Paul is having their annual Holiday Boutique and Bake Sale on Friday, November 17, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s boutique is going to be bigger and better than ever! There will be all sorts of handcrafted items and many different baked goods for sale by residents and the local community. You don’t want to miss out, so please stop by and have some fun shopping before the holiday rush. You’ll be glad you did. Marian of Saint Paul is located at 200 Earl Street, across from Indian Mounds Park. The Bird and the Word Give-away . The Church of Acts will be hosting its 13th annual Thanksgiving Turkey and Ham Give-away, The Bird and the Word, November 20, 21, and 22. This year the event will be held at our new church building at 862 White Bear Avenue, instead of Johnson High School as it has been in the past. Also, we are asking that those who wish to attend the give-away be pre-registered as follows: Registration for The Bird and the Word: November 6 or 7 from 9 AM to 9 PM at Church of Acts, 862 White Bear Avenue. Those registering must bring a current electric bill and a picture ID. Each family who pre-registers and comes on the night assigned will receive a free ham or turkey and Thanksgiving groceries. For additional information, call Church of Acts, 651-771-5077. Dayton's
Bluff Community
Meeting The next Community Meeting is Thursday, November
2, 2006 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the meeting room at the Dayton’s
Bluff Community Council, 798 East 7th Street at the corner of 7th and
Margaret. Dead
Cat the the Mounds
Theatre This November... Starting Gate Productions presents P.S. Your Cat is Dead, written by James Kirkwood and directed by Richard Jackson at the Mounds Theatre this November. It features the talents of: Jairus Abts, Rose Johnson, Scot Moore, Julie Ann Nevill, Perry Thrun, Clarence Wethern, and Joe Wiener with set design by Tamatha Miller, Lighting and Sound design by Mark Webb, props by Katie Oliver and costumes by Carol Ann Winther. This play will be performed November 3 – 26, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. There are no longer any Thursday performances. There will be an Audio Described Performance on Sunday, November 19. Pay What You Can Night is Monday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 general, $16 students and seniors. Call 651-645-3503 for tickets. This is Starting Gate’s second production of the season, which also includes True West, Amadeus and King Lear. All performances are at the Mounds Theatre at 1029 Hudson Road, St. Paul, MN 55106. ...Followed by A Christmas Story in December A Christmas Story returns live on
stage to the Mounds Theatre this December for nine performances.
It’s everyone’s favorite story of Ralphie and his quest to get a Red
Ryder BB gun for Christmas. All the delightful moments you fell in love
with in the film version are brought to life.
This holiday classic was first produced by the Portage for Youth at the Mounds Theatre in December 2004 and has been a great success for the last two years. Most of last year’s cast are returning because they enjoyed it so much. So will you. Create or continue a holiday tradition at the Mounds Theatre. A Christmas Story is appropriate for all ages and there is discount pricing for children. Tickets to the play make a great gift for those “hard to buy for” individuals on your shopping list. Spend an evening or afternoon with your friends and family watching this warm-hearted play before the hustle and bustle of Christmas sets in. Christmas will be hear sooner than y ou think. Purchase your tickets now. Don’t delay and be disappointed. Performances: December 1, 2, 8, 9,15 & 16 at 7:30 p.m. December 3, 10 & 17 at 2:00 p.m.. Tickets: Ticket prices are $15 Adults; $10 Student/Senior (55 and over); and $5 Children (12 and under). Visit www.moundstheatre.org for a ticket order form or call 651-772-2253 and leave your name and number. Someone will call you back to take your order. All profits from A Christmas Story benefit the Portage for Youth. The Mounds Theatre is located at 1029 Hudson Road, St. Paul, MN 55106. Raeann Ruth Wins Award Raeann Ruth, Executive Director of the Portage
for Youth, was presented with the Heroes for Children Award by the
Children’s Law Center of Minnesota. Comcast
Cares about
Dayton's Bluff
Dayton's
Bluff Recreation Center Activities and Events Dayton’s Bluff Rec Center 800 Conway St. 651.793-3885 Director: Jody Griffin jody.griffin@ci.stpaul.n.us Fall Program is out! (Sept.-Dec. 2006 Events & Activities) Stop by the center to pick up your copy or visit us on line at www.ci.stpaul.gov/depts/parks New this Fall – On-line registration for parks and recreation classes, trips & sports. Eastside Family Fitness, Health, Safety, Information Fair – Mark your calendars for this fair! Everyone is invited to this free event that will feature local health care provider screening, safety information for your families & pets. A jump castle and other fitness & nutrition activities will be available too. Thursday, Nov.16 from 5:30-7:30 pm. Life Line Screening – Mon., Nov. 20 Call 1-800-697-9693 to schedule your screening. Stroke Screening/Carotid Artery $45, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening $45, Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening $45, Osteoporosis Screening $45. All 4 tests for $139.00 save $41 Parent Tot Play Time - Mon., Wed., Fri.’s, 10 am-12 pm, Ages 0-5, Free Adult Lunch Time Volleyball & Basketball - Thursday’s, 11 am-1 pm; $1/week; On-going; No children Teen Club - The group meets on Tuesday’s 5-7 pm & Thursday’s from 5:30-7:30 pm. Free, New members are welcome. Adult Volleyball – Fri., 6-8:45 pm, $1 per week, on-going Movie Mystery Nights – Mon./Wed.’s, 6-8 pm, All ages, Free Jump Roping Club – Wed.’s, 5:30-6:30 pm, Ages 6-17, $12 for 12 sessions Badminton – Tuesday’s 6-8 pm, $1 per week through Nov. 14 Community Block Club Meetings – Last Monday of each month, 6:30-8 pm. All are welcome! Judo Classes – Sat., Nov. 4, 10:30 - 12 pm (4-6 yrs.), 12 - 2 pm, (7-12 yrs.) Express Baby Sign Parent Workshop – Th., Nov. 9, 9:30-10:30 am, Ages 6-24 months, $10 per family AARP Refresher Course – Th., Nov. 9, 9:30 am-1:30 pm, Ages 50 & over, $10, 1 session Sporties for Shorties – Tues., Nov. 7, 1:30-2:30 pm, Ages 3-5, $12 for 6 sessions Dancercise Kids – Wed.,Nov. 15, 1-1:30 pm, Ages 2-5, $36 for 6 session each Safe On My Own – Mon., Nov. 13, 5:30-7:30 pm, Ages 8-10, $17, 1 session Talent Show – Mon., Dec. 4, 5:30-8 pm, All ages, $5 per entry. Must register by Nov. 27. Dear Santa - Let the Dayton’s Bluff elves help your little one get this year’s wish list to Santa. Upon registration you will receive a Dear Santa Wish List for your child to complete. Return it by Dec. 8. Santa will write your little one a letter and mail it directly from the North Pole. Register during programming hours. Free Evening At The North Pole – Th., Dec. 21, 6:30-8 pm, Ages 8 & under, $4 per person including adults HUMANE SOCIETY CLASS - The Good Kind Giant – Tues., Nov. 21, 5:45-6:30 pm, Ages 3-8, $3 MAD SCIENCE CLASSES - Stunt Planes and Gliders – Tu., Nov. 7, 6-7 pm, Ages 5-12, $6, 1 session - Heredity – Th., Dec. 7, 6-7 pm, Ages 9-13, $6, 1 session ABRAKADOODLE CLASSES - Around The World – Wed., Nov. 22, 10-11:30 am, Ages 3-6, $26, 1 session - Mini Doodlers – Mon., Nov. 6, 10:30-11:15 am, Ages 3-5, $72 for 6 sessions - Doodlers – Th., Nov. 2, 5-6 pm, Ages 7-12, $72 for 6 sessions - Master Doodlers – Tu., Nov. 14, Grades 6-9, $84 for 6 sessions - Icky, Slimy, Gooey – Th., Dec. 28, 9-5 pm, Ages 7-12, $48, 1 session ONCE UPON A STAR CLASSES - Glitter & Glamour Party Pizzazz – Wed., Nov. 15, 5:30-7 pm, Ages 5-12, $16, 1 session - Rockin’ Like A Rock Star – Tu., Dec. 12, 5:30-6:30 pm, Ages 5-12, $16, 1 session FIELD TRIP Parent Permission slips are required. Must register prior to trip. Youth under the age 8 are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs - Tues., Dec. 19; 9 am-12 pm; $12.50
Community
Council Needs a
Few Good Committee Members The Arts and Culture Committee works to increase opportunities for Dayton’s Bluff residents to experience the arts and take part in cultural events. Some of the activities that the committee has worked on include: book readings, highlighting events at the Mounds Theatre and Metropolitan State University, organizing the Dayton’s Bluff Preservation Evening in May each year, creating an arts directory and sponsoring several small arts and craft shows Both committees are looking for new members. If you want more information or want to join, email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org or call Karin at 651-772-2075. You can pick up recycling bins at 798 East 7th Street at
the corner of 7th and Margaret. Call 651-772-2075 to be sure someone is
in the office. Last year several different elementary school teachers in St. Paul were asked to submit poetry written by their students for publication. Among the sites was Sheridan Elementary and a work by one of its sixth graders, an area resident, was included. The book, which is published annually, was called “A Celebration of Young Poets—Midwest Spring 2006.”
Paradyse Gustafson, the author of the poem reprinted below, lives in the Mounds Park area with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother—four generations sharing a home. Paradyse is now in seventh grade at Battle Creek Middle School where, in addition to getting good grades, is on the volleyball team. And, of course, she continues to write poetry. Sisters* By Paradyse Gustafson Fighting and snarling Who can be worse? For the power within them Is only a curse. The destruction inside, The regrets of life, Is nature’s way Of putting us through strife. Obligate your wishes, They may come true For Rita and Katrina Will never regret. But we shall be strong, Never give up For the fighting will stop So don’t quarry or shiver, It will soon be over. * Dedicated to the families that suffered due to hurricanes. Used with permission. Amazing Grace Assembly of God 463 Maria St. Paul, MN 55106 651-776-7210 1 block North of Metropolitan State University Sun 8:00 am – Free Community Breakfast 9:30 am, - Worship service Sun 10:45 am - Education for all ages Handicapped accessible ALL ARE WELCOME!
Mounds Park United
Methodist Worship times are subject to
change. Please call ahead to confirm. Would you like your child to participate in a Christmas program? We are having one at Mounds Park United Methodist Church at 1047 Euclid St. at Earl. It’s a great way to learn about the real meaning of Christmas! We welcome all interested families to participate. We will practice on Saturday, December 9 and share the program during the church service on Sunday, December 10 at 10:30 a.m. We invite you to stay for Jesus’ birthday party immediately following the service. Maybe this could be a new tradition for your family! For more information call Patrice Waters at 651-793-5176. The
Lieb Women of 399 Sinnen St. - Aunt Flossie and Grama Margaret Editors note: This is one of what we hope will be a series of stories about people who have lived in Dayton’s Bluff. Please let us know if you have a story to tell or know someone who does. The following article comes from Minneapolis resident Colleen Callahan, who spent a lot of time in the neighborhood visiting her relatives, the people in this article It is comprised of two eulogies she gave at Sacred Heart Church for her Great Aunt Flossie Lieb and Grandmother Margaret Lieb Hilpisch. Aunt Flossie died in 1999 and her Grandmother in 2001. Aunt Flossie In two weeks she would have been 92 years old. Flossie always said, “I won’t make it to my next birthday you know.” She was exhausted from a weakening heart and, I think, tired of being alone. Flossie was the last of the Lieb women to leave that special home at 399 Sinnen Street. “Who would have thought I’d be the last one in this house,” she would say. She felt the least equipped to manage. And yet she did with surprising strength and ease. “Floss” rarely complained and when she did, would stop herself in mid sentence – “oh let’s just put a period on that....now tell me something nice.” Being familiar with Flossie’s filing system, as many of us were, one day I looked under the place mat in the kitchen which covered addresses, phone numbers, cards and stamps, and was touched by a discovery. Under the place mat was maybe one of her sources of strength. A poem clipped out of a church bulletin entitled, “Prayer for Those Left Alone.” “I live alone dear Lord, stay by me side, In all my daily needs, be Thou my guide. Grant me good health, for that I pray. To carry on my work from day to day. And when I am feeling low or in despair, Lift up my heart and help me in prayer”. “Don’t get old,” she would say. For 92 years Flossie lived across the street from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the house her parents homesteaded in 1904. The third of seven children of Joe and Mamie Lieb, she was born and died there at 399. She never married and never moved.
The fourteen-room house was the original Nun’s Convent for the church. This was her neighborhood and any drive around the neighborhood solicited stories from “Floss” of old friends, by-gone candy stores, picnics at the Indian Mounds and memories of almost 100 years. She was the family’s willing link to the past and it didn’t take much coaxing to get “Floss” to talk about the old days. We all remember the one she liked to tell of her Grandpa driving into their driveway with his horse and cart filled with day old cookies from Griggs-Cooper. They were food for his pigs but “these were no ordinary cookies” Flossie would say, they were jewels- ‘fancy cookies”. There were coconut ones and ones with cherries and ones with pecans and marshmallows and chocolate covered ones. She would take them in her lunch to school the next day and felt as though she was rich. She made no secret out of the fact that she never graduated from the 8th grade. Instead, she went to work at Klinkerfuss Manufacturing where she made forty cents a week and gave thirty to her mother leaving her ten cents for spending money. She retired after thirty years of service which made her forty four years old. She loved Walgreens and card shopping, make-up, costume jewelry, a good bargain, “Wheel of Fortune”, “Seinfeld” (or “Steinfeld” as she would say), prune rolls, getting mail, listening to WCCO radio and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, visits from her nieces and nephews, cookies, onion rings from Rainbow Foods, getting her hair done, perfume, decorating for any holiday, getting her picture taken (“now make sure you get my best side”) and going to the Dollar store. She never missed anyone’s birthday and had to call to make sure the mail really did arrive on time. She always wore a dress and nylons. Even on the hottest Minnesota day of the year you would never find her without her “hose”. I asked her once why she didn’t ever wear a pair of slacks. She said when she was young Mrs. Ritt (her next door neighbor) always said, “If women were meant to wear pants, the Virgin Mary would have worn them!” She was full of love and affection for all her nieces and nephews. Especially Jimmy. If it weren¹t for Jimmy she would never have been able to live and die in her own home. Jimmy was her godchild, her “guardian angel” she would say, her “oxygen.” He was her financial manager, “just put it right here- Jimmy will take care of it.” And he did, twenty four hours a day. He paid her bills, shoveled her walk, cut her grass, fixed her plumbing, repaired her roof, cleaned her garage, trimmed the hedges, took her shopping and generally, eased her mind over everything she was nervous about. In the end, it was Jim who made sure she got her pills every night and that somehow her bed (which she could never leave unmade) got made every day. He was always only a call a way. Now she is gone. The old home at 399 has been sold and I have to stop myself from driving by and peering at the old homestead on too regular a basis. Flossie always said not to worry because when she passed away she would look down and take care of me. Whatever I wanted she would try to intercede and see that I got. As I feel myself getting older, all I really want “Floss” is to live as graciously and generously as you did into your almost 92nd year.
Grama Margaret “Prospect 1-5971” ...was the first phone number I memorized after my own. It belonged to my grandmother, my mother’s mother, Margaret Lieb Hilpisch. I loved hearing her sweet voice at the end of the line-so interested, so proud, so unconditionally loving. That wellspring of acceptance and love in a sometimes turbulent world is what she brought to all of our lives and we ache to think she is gone. What is a fitting tribute to someone who lies deep in all of your memories, your soul, in your heart and in your very tissue? Maybe it is in her progeny. She was baptized Margaret Barbara Lieb (after her two grandmothers) in 1906 at Sacred Heart Church across from her house at 399 Sinnen Street. As my mother said at her funeral, “everything for Grama revolved around Sacred Heart. Even to the end she would introduce herself ; “I’m Margaret, from Sacred Heart”. No wonder. She went to school, married, baptized and raised her children there. Her marriage to Ernest Clement Hilpisch on October 30, 1929 came “one day after the crash” she would say. “I should have known we would struggle with money all of our life”. To save money she and her new husband moved into the top floor of the 14 room home her parents Barbara and Joe Lieb had homesteaded. It had been the first convent for the nuns at Sacred Heart until they built the beautiful brick one on the property next door (torn down in the 70’s and replaced with the apartment that stands there today). They never moved out of the apartment. Grama loved repeating what Grampa always shared about coming to visit her before they were married; “I got on the streetcar on Margaret St. in North St. Paul, got off the streetcar on Margaret St. in St. Paul, to see Margaret.” They raised three wonderful children- Joan, Tom, and Judy- in that small apartment above her parents. Even in her final words in her will (that was found under the four foot statue of the Blessed Virgin in her bedroom) she said to her children simply “thanks for being such great kids.” About her children’s spouses Jack, Pat and Kaye she said, “my kids did so well. I couldn’t have picked better for them myself”. From those three children came fourteen grandchildren, forty-one great grandchildren and two great- great grandchildren (of which Grama would say “Oh, I’m not that great!”). She was the kind of grandmother that was very involved with her grandkids. As children, we loved going to visit on Sundays as she would have a refrigerator stocked with soda pop (strawberry, orange, cola, root beer, grape and creme soda) and ice cream sandwiches that were always readily available to us. Around her kitchen table we could count on her enthusiastically joining us to play “Concentration”, “Crazy 8’s”, “Old Maid” or “Go to the Dump”. Will anyone ever forget her beautiful handwriting? It was an art form in and of itself. It addressed countless birthday and holiday cards year after year. While away at college, I could always count on a weekly letter, peering out from my all too vacant mailbox, with Grama¹s artistic script. It even secured her first job! She was hired sight unseen because of her elegant penmanship that appeared on a job application. She often told us about how grateful she was to her employer, Saul Selle, as he saved her engagement ring during a store robbery in 1928. The burglars told she and Saul to lie on the floor while they ransacked the store. One of them noticed Grama was wearing a diamond ring. He removed it from her finger. As they were about to leave Saul said, “Oh come on! Give it back to her. That’s her engagement ring!” They complied, and put it back on her finger. Grama always said, “Those were the days. Even burglars had a conscience.” It was fun to hear Grama share the stories of her youth. She loved dressing well. With her hair in a marcel, her new fur coat, her nylons rolled and a flapper hat, she strolled down Sinnen Street. Her neighbor, Mr. Ritt, would tease her as she paraded in front of his house by making reference to the fashionable wife of Summit Avenue railroad tycoon James J.Hill and say, “Well if it isn’t Mrs. Hill!” She tells of the great times she had going swimming with her Aunt Jo or Aunt Rose out at her Grampa¹s Farm across from Guardian Angels church. “They had a shade house in the front yard and there was a picnic table in the middle and we used to pretend we were having a party (we had to pretend everything. We couldn¹t afford any games). Then to climax our big affair, we would wait for the cows to get out of the pond as then it was our turn to go swimming! Not having a bathing suit we took Uncle Matt¹s shirts and sewed them down the middle. Those became our suits. We thought we were really living high!” Grama spent the last three years of her life at the Marian Center Nursing Home on Earl Street not far from where she grew up. She had experienced a stroke and we all wondered how someone so independent would endure such dependency. We found that she did it with increased gratitude and humor. She thanked everyone for the small and large services they rendered and kept everyone laughing with her quick wit. One of my favorite examples is when her son Tom was trying to get her to remember the name of his grandson “Douglas”. He prompted her by giving her a hint, “It’s the first name of General MacArthur...” She retorted, “Since when was I on a first name basis with MacArthur!” Towards the end, everyone she seemed to ask about had already passed away. She would say, “do I dare ask about?...” When she was told they were dead she would say, “there’s more people up there than there is down here-it’s got to be getting crowded. I hope there’s still room for me.” Grama was an independent, bright, fun loving, generous, witty, faith filled lady. We feel so blessed that she was with us 94 years and we know that no matter how crowded it might be up there Grama, God will always make room for you. New Sculptures in Mounds Park Provoke Controversy
The installation of the two sculptures in Mounds Park have created a bit of controversy on the neighborhood email tree. The cyber discussion began with a forwarded message from Public Art St. Paul that there would be a “stone stewardship workshop” that they hoped some neighborhood people would attend. “Two sculptures have been installed at Mounds Park. Now it’s up to members of the community to keep an eye on their new treasures and help with some minimum maintenance.” After that the emails started flying. A few are shown below. If readers have an opinion of your own, why not send a letter to the editor? ********** I do not like the lower sculpture, it is ugly, and what is it supposed to be, anyway? Just “Art”? It is probably too late to move it. I wish people would ask before they ruin our view. The view is the reason most of us live on Mounds Boulevard in the first place. Thanks for listening. If there are more obstructions on the way, please let us know beforehand. Deborah Teal, Mounds and Short St. *********** Miss Deborah: “Just Art”? What is ART supposed to be but ITSELF? I for one, like the new sculpture and wish there were more. Sometimes art needs to grow on you. Give it a chance. DJ Repischak *********** Does anyone know if the artist is from this community? And did our community know this was coming down the pike? Did you know we have some world class sculptors in our neighborhood? To me that sculpture seems so, so inappropriate for this extremely sacred and significant land and its history. It feels like the typical “plop your sculpture on the land” without any relationship to the land’s multiple layers of significance. I didn’t see the bowl, but the one on that field could be moved to the field by the entrance to Mounds Park on the left side as you would enter. I would ask for an additional budget - for a grove of trees to soften the harshness of a single object in that large field. I think that area needs some attention and that would be a more neutral area for the sculpture. We once had a discussion for some kind of structure to welcome people into the Mounds Park Area. I would have warmer feelings if it were move to that area. Susan Lucey ********** Dear Mounds Park Friends, I am in the process of setting up a meeting to discuss the sculpture along Mounds Blvd and Mclean. The Wave is poorly placed. The piece creates a psychological barrier to the river and the cityscape. The Wave creates a physical barrier as well, obstructing the view. The river and the cityscape ARE the art — that’s the beauty and drama that people come to see. Any sculpture or piece of public art should support or compliment the prominence of the river. The Wave takes over and becomes the prominent object. Public art, of course, doesn’t always sooth or create cohesive community but can also disrupt the status quo, etc. Sometimes public art is — and should be — disturbing or compelling in a way that challenges or makes us otherwise uncomfortable. But The Wave—the sculpture itself— does not evoke any of those interesting emotions or discussions - just its poor placement. That’s an entirely different type of discomfort and not indicative of public art at its best. We’re also noting that the other piece, Sacred Bowl, appears to work far more effectively with the landscape — this is the sculpture high on the bluff, on the opposite side of the street. Here, the sculpture supports the landscape and works with the river and view. Consider the wooden carved Indian along the bluff who has his arms raised high in the direction of the river, honoring. Both of these pieces are much more thoughtfully positioned. I will let everyone know when the meeting will take place — we’ll meet at Marian Care Center. I’d advise people to think about a better location for The Wave. It’s GREAT that the East Side, in particular Mounds Park-Dayton’s Bluff was selected to participate in this wonderful public art adventure. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t acknowledge an error when one was made. Let’s find a new place in our neighborhood for The Wave. Mary Petrie, Mound Street *********** This sculpture is a perfect example of “art for art’s sake”. Somehow, calling it art makes it untouchable, and saying we’re lucky to have it asserts that we (the neighborhood as a whole) should be quiet about it or run the risk of looking like uncultured idiots. If the same channels are used to present us with more civic art (seemingly careless process; not considering the space, not engaging the neighbors,) I’d rather not have any more gifts like this. However, if moving it to a “better” place means moving it from this worst possible place then that’s the goal. I just don’t like the implicit message that says “if you express a differing opinion about this piece you just don’t get it”. We’re all lucky to have Mary and her willingness to take on these tasks that require diplomacy and affect change through dialogue. No doubt, if it were up to me, I’d be very undiplomatic and we’d each end up with a Wave sculpture in our front yard in order to teach us all a lesson in art appreciation... p.s. Susan your suggestion is a good one, I agree about the tree budget.. Heather Keena, Mound St. *********** In terms of my reaction to the art, I disagree with some of you. I do not consider The Wave to be an abomination, but don’t think it is amazing either. Just because a person doesn’t appreciate something doesn’t mean that it is not art. That is up to each person to decide. It may be poorly placed, but I don’t think we should try to have this piece put in a corner, or moved from our neighborhood. Let me explain why. There was a study done at Macalester of the impact of the Western Sculpture Park on its immediate neighborhood... The presence of the art reduced crime, increased property values, and led to the area being known for a cultural value. My point is that the art is ours. No other area of St. Paul received two pieces as we did. We have no other public art in Mounds Park. These sculptures can help our area and our park to be more desirable and attractive to others and increase our own quality of life. People will come to enjoy the park and the sculptures. Some of them will want to move here after seeing what a great area this is. Public art is good for Mounds Park, whether you find it personally attractive or not. If we want to relocate it, that is a discussion that may be worthwhile, but removing it would be a mistake. Jacob Dorer, 988 Mclean
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Greetings from SPPD Eastern
District, Letter
to the Editor What was the city thinking? Well, the Parks Department is building a new trail from below the bluff to meet the already existing one that starts near Plum and Mounds. They apparently told folks at a meeting of the Community Council that the wall would be an eyesore and was not worth repairing, so they decided to call in the bulldozer. Of course, they failed to mention the fact that its neglected state of maintenance was their own fault. I firmly believe that if the W. P. A. wall had been located in prestigious Ramsey Hill or along the River road in the Highland area, they would not have dared to remove such an historic landmark. I happened along and saw a man driving a Bobcat that was loading the wall remains and dumping them into the back of a truck. He said that it was one of the sturdiest walls he had ever been paid to tear down and felt personally that it deserved a better fate than a landfill. I get mad just thinking about it. They at least could have saved some of the stones to repair walls in one of the more favored St. Paul neighborhoods. There is one remaining limestone W. P. A. wall on the eastern edge of Mounds Park. Someone should get in the face of city leaders and get a promise that it will not also end up being cast aside like a used paper cup by the Parks Department. G. B. LeRoy
Mallard
Teal - One Righteous Dude
By Jason Hoelzel In 1972 a young man sat in the barracks of a U.S. military base in Germany wondering where his life would lead after serving our country. Not knowing whether or not the call-of-duty would alter his goals and aspirations, the GI would soon embark on a road to self-discovery by way of inspirational pages from a magazine. One day the GI grabbed an issue of Easy Rider magazine and headed back to his barracks to read his worries away. The perverse pages of the biker magazine would not only produce a national icon but also a Minnesota legend. “After seeing one bike in Easy Rider, I knew right then and there I wanted to be in it,” he said. For more than twenty years, Mallard Teal has been a true visionary in the close-knit world of custom motorcycles. This rarified club holds exclusivity honors among the ultra-rich and the Hollywood elites. You would think a man from a small market like Minnesota would not get the national exposure like others in much larger markets. But Mallard has a king’s list of clients and would-be clients who have been eagerly waiting to travel freedom’s roadways on one of his signature rides. He has built custom bikes for comedian Jay Leno and pitcher Jack Morris, has wrenched sprockets with the legendary Hall of Famer Donny Smith, and has polished bikes with the infamous Jesse James. “I cannot see myself doing anything other than building bikes,” he said. Not bad for a man whose inspirations came from Mother Nature, campfires, and Miller High Lifes. Mallard cannot go without giving high-praise to the godfathers of custom bikes such as Dave Perowitz and Howard Belmont. “These guys were truly the ones who have made the very lucrative world of custom motorcycles possible,” he said. Howard Belmont was the owner of Belmont’s Harley-Davidson on W. 7th St., which is now the new St. Paul Harley-Davidson. “If I could build just one bike for someone living or deceased, I would build one for Mr. Belmont that would signify my endearing respect for him,” he said. Every year on the third weekend in June, Mallard hosts a bike show at Yarusso Bros. Italian Restaurant on Payne Ave. in St. Paul. He also sponsors the annual Harvest Festival Bike Show, which is going on its 8th year. But for the true enthusiasts, you can visit his museum at his place of residency. I encourage most if not all of you to go and view some of the classics at his museum such as his 1958 Knuckle Head, which gracefully poised the pages of Easy Rider. Knowing that you will never see Michael Jordan drive to the hoop again, never seeing Renaldo score another goal, or that someday your hero will never be seen again, an irreplaceable void encapsulates all of which make heroes, heroes. Well, Mallard Teal is one of these legends that will someday succumb to just riding in the back seat. So if you want to pay homage and respect to a man who has placed Payne Ave. on the map, please visit Mallard and his incomparable collection of custom bikes.
Good
Neighbors Clean Up the Neighborhood and Get Some Exercise
Looking for Neighborhood Honor Roll
Candidates Dayton's
Bluff and Metro State Library Events |
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